


Excrescence

by cutsycat



Series: Dictionary.Com Word of the Day Drabbles [959]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Gen, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-04 02:09:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12760956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutsycat/pseuds/cutsycat
Summary: Tony's confused. He's head is not in the game. He goes for a walk to clear his head. Before he gets to Gibbs' house, he's attacked. What's going to happen now? Is anyone safe?





	Excrescence

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TT40_Angst_Queen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TT40_Angst_Queen/gifts).
  * In response to a prompt by [TT40_Angst_Queen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TT40_Angst_Queen/pseuds/TT40_Angst_Queen) in the [NCIS_Prompts_2017](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/NCIS_Prompts_2017) collection. 



> Another dictionary.com word of the day drabble. This time from 12/16/2001 for the word [excrescence](http://www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/2001/12/16/excrescence).
> 
> excrescence  
> Something (especially something abnormal) growing out from something else.  
> A disfiguring or unwanted mark, part, or addition.
> 
> This was requested by Tardis_Type40 who prompted me through [here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/NCIS_Prompts_2017/profile). No idea if this is what they were thinking, but it's what muse did, so *shrugs* 
> 
> **Prompt:**
> 
> On the way to Gibbs' house, Tony is attcked and turned by someone with a grudge against Gibbs. Before the process is complete, Gibbs finds Tony's seemingly dead body on his front step. 
> 
> Father and son relationship.
> 
> **End Prompt**  
> 
> As always comments, kudos, and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated. 
> 
> Prompts are open. More information is available at the end of the work if you want to prompt me yourself.

# 

Excrescence

This last case had been a doozy. It brought out feelings that Tony had thought he’d left buried. Feelings he would rather not feel. 

He tried sitting at his apartment, home alone watching Magnum PI re-runs, but he needed to move. He needed to talk his feelings out. He couldn’t stay here.

Tony stood up, grabbing his jacket, wallet, and gun. He was out the door with no conscious destination in mind. As he walked further and further he realized that he knew where he was headed. 

Apparently, his subconscious had been quietly directing him to Gibbs’ house. It’s true. Gibbs would listen while he worked his wood. 

Gibbs seemed to know when to let Tony just talk and when to add his two cents. Leroy Jethro Gibbs was his boss. They worked well together more like family than boss and subordinate. 

Before Tony made it to Gibbs house though, a black shadow slammed into Tony. Driving him into a wall, Tony lost his breath in a huff while the black shadow did something really creepy. 

“Are you going to bite me?” Tony couldn’t help asking as he watched a mouth hover over his neck and shoulder juncture.

The black shadow didn’t bother to reply. She was known as Paloma Reynosa and this was all about revenge on Gibbs for the death of her father. 

Tony’s training kicked into action and he shoved her back before she could actually sink her teeth into him. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but it’s polite to ask first.”

The black shadow said nothing. Just grabbed her knife and pressed him back as they exchanged blows. There wasn’t much room for Tony to maneuver and she soon had him pressed against the wall holding his hands above his head.

With nothing to stop her she bit down right below where the adam’s apple was. Tony screamed. His body’s pain receptors were going crazy.

Tony didn’t know what was going on. The pain was overwhelming him. The woman picked Tony up and carried him while he continued screaming to Gibbs’ doorstep. 

She dropped a note and quickly vanished before Gibbs arrived. Gibbs had run up the stairs from his basement as soon as he heard Tony’s screaming. Opening his door, he stared in shock at Tony. 

He’d always had fatherly feelings toward Tony. He couldn’t stand to see Tony in pain. He didn’t know what was wrong with Tony.

All he knew was Tony was lying on his doorstep writhing in pain. Noticing the note, he picked it up and read it. “This is just the warning, Gibbs. We will be back for both of yours blood.”

It was signed simply Daughter of Hernandez. Gibbs shoved the note in his pocket and helped Tony into his living room.

“What’s wrong, Tony?”

“Pain.” Tony gasped out, absolutely breathless. “So much pain.”

If Tony didn’t know better he would swear there was an excrescence forming somewhere on his body. The pain was all over everywhere, so he had no idea where it was forming. He just hoped that whatever was happening ended soon.

Gibbs watched as Tony started gasping for breath and his skin started turning blue. Was Tony dying in front of his eyes? No, he couldn’t allow this to happen. 

Gibbs started trying to give Tony CPR, but it wasn’t helping. “I love you like a son, Tony. You have to fight it. We’ll make it through whatever this is. You just have to live.”

“I gasp love gasp you gasp as gasp a gasp father too.” Tony wheezed out. 

Suddenly, Tony lay still. Gibbs grabbed him and held him close shedding tears he hadn’t shed since he lost Shannon and Kelly. “Nooo!” Gibbs cried out to the sky. “Don’t take him from me.” 

“I already lost one kid. Let me keep this one.” Gibbs begged.

Then it was over and Gibbs saw the large excrescence bulging out of Tony’s body. He jumped back in shock. Then he realized it was more like Tony’s body was reforming into something else entirely. Gibbs stared aghast as he watched Tony become something completely different. 

When the process seemed finished Gibbs moved closer touching Tony to see if he still had a pulse. He wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or not when Tony seemed to not have a pulse. Then Tony started moving.

This wasn’t normal. Gibbs ran to the kitchen and called Ducky. Maybe he should have called the police, but he didn’t want to put Tony in any danger if he could be saved. Gibbs just hoped Ducky would know what to do. 

“Ducky. Something’s happened to Tony. I need your medical expertise. Now!” Gibbs barked and hung up the phone.

“Gibbs?” Tony called out weak and confused.

Gibbs returned to the living room. He’d never been one to stand around in fear when he could be doing something about the situation. “Tony?”

“What happened?” 

“I don’t know. What can you tell me?”

“I feel really hungry for some reason.”

“I’ll order your favorite pizza.”

“No. Not pizza. I need meat. Fresh meat, preferably.”

Gibbs was starting to get freaked out about just what had happened to Tony. 

“You look like you’d make some good meat.” Tony eyes glowed yellow with hunger. 

Gibbs returned to the kitchen to let Ducky know the situation and hoped Tony wouldn’t try to follow him. 

“Ducky he says he’s hungry for fresh meat and is looking at me like he wants to tear me apart and eat me.”

“Oh dear. Make sure to stay outside of his reach. We can’t have you getting hurt too.”

Gibbs heard a growl behind him and turned. What he saw made him wonder if Tony was still in there. “I have to go, Duck.”

Gibbs dropped the phone and ran. Tony howled and chased after him. His body continued to grow more and more fur until he was loping along behind Gibbs in a humongous wolf form.

Gibbs had his gun on him, but he wasn’t willing to shoot Tony and still hoped there was a chance to save him. He hoped that Ducky would know how to fix this. He also hoped that Ducky got here soon or it would be too late.

Ducky was already on his way over when he got Jethro’s second call, but he knew he wouldn’t make it there fast enough. Dialing Abby, he cut through her normal greeting. “No time, Abbs. Gibbs is in danger. Somebody turned Anthony and now he’s after Gibbs because Gibbs is the closest meat source around.”

“Oh no, Ducky! I’ll get there as fast as I can.”

“Thanks Abby.”

“We have to save them both, Ducky.”

“I know. Now, go, before it’s too late.”

They disconnected and Abby immediately transformed into her wolf form and ran through the streets, keeping to the shadows so as to avoid spreading panic. Once at Gibbs’ house she paused just enough to catch Gibbs and Tony’s scent and take off after them. She came upon them suddenly as she rounded a corner and Gibbs jumped to the side to avoid being trampled.

Tony didn’t have as much control of his wolf form, yet, though and Abby and Tony collided on the ground growling at each other. 

“This is my meat. You can’t have it.” Tony snarled in wolf.

Abby growled back, “He is not to be eaten. I know it’s confusing after you’ve first been turned, but there are better sources of meat. I can show you.”

“I need meat now. I’m exhausted.”

“Yes, turning does that to you. I promise I’ll help you, but you can’t eat him.”

Tony whined.

Fortunately, Ducky showed up at that point with some fresh meat that was safe for Tony to eat. “Here, Tony.” Ducky tossed it to him.

Tony started wolfing it down, his body starting to show signs of exhaustion now that his hunger wasn’t driving adrenaline through his body anymore. Abby turned back to her human form, certain now that Tony wouldn’t attack Gibbs unnecessarily. Gibbs stumbled back away from Abby.

“What’s going on here?” Gibbs demanded. He usually believed what his eyes told him, but between Tony and Abby there were just too many strange things going on. 

“Let’s go back inside. I’ll explain everything there.” Ducky murmured softly.

Gibbs grunted, but headed inside. Ducky followed, throwing the following words over his shoulder, “Abby keep an eye on Tony. Herd him back inside once he’s finished eating.”

“You got it, Duckman.” Abby agreed.

Both Abby and Ducky knew that you interrupted a newly turned wolf shifter’s first meal at your own peril. It would be months before Tony was able to control his desires and return to normal life as a human. She hoped that Ducky and Gibbs would be able to make plans for Tony, so that he didn’t lose his job at NCIS in the process.

She also wanted to know just what had caused Tony to turn into a wolf. It really wasn’t common for people to even know about wolf shifters let alone run into one or any kind of shifter really. Shifters were less than 1% of the population. 

Those who knew about shifters were less than 5% of the population. Ducky and Abby had both been asked by the shifter community to take jobs at NCIS just in case any of their cases involved shifters. That way they’d be able to do damage control before shifters were revealed and a wide spread panic occurred.

Every government agency had their own shifters who watched and helped obfuscate the knowledge that shifters existed. Trent Kort in the CIA and someone else in the CIA that she didn’t know. The FBI had 2 as well though she’d only met Spencer Reid once and hadn’t met the other shifter in the FBI. 

Many other agencies, some government some not, had them. The shifter community tried to keep at least one shifter in a well placed position in each agency and two in the ones that worked a large number of cases. However, even the shifter community did not know who all worked where.

Unless you happened to run into someone at a crime scene or on the job, it was considered bad form to reveal where you worked to the shifter community. The community had their share of people who wanted to drive unrest and they wouldn’t hesitate to try and get the media interested in specific shifters if they knew who they were. Shifters were very careful about turning others. 

For the very reason, they’d experienced today. A newly turned shifter needed specific care or it would give in to it’s base instincts and lose itself to the madness. Turning someone into a shifter and just leaving them was not tolerated.

Abby would make sure whoever had done this to Tony paid. She was sure Ducky already had plans in that regard as well. Once Tony finished his meat, Abby led him back inside. 

Ducky had already finished explaining to Gibbs just what Tony was now. “This must be kept a secret. It would be very bad if this got out into the world at large.” Ducky murmured.

Gibbs nodded in agreement. Tony being a wolf shifter didn’t change his paternal feelings for him in the slightest. Gibbs still wanted to protect Tony if he could. 

Or at least protect Tony as much as Tony would allow. Tony was already an amazing young man, but there was a lot he still had to experience. 

“What happened to Tony?” Abby interrupted, seeing as Ducky and Gibbs were basically finished.

“We don’t know for sure, Abbs. The Reynosa Cartel left a note implicating themselves with the body. They also threatened to come back for me and Tony in the future.” Gibbs explained.

“They are going to be in so much trouble. They aren’t even registered with the shifter community. We better report this to the council, Ducky.”

“Quite right, Abigail. Quite right.” Ducky agreed. 

Ducky handed Gibbs some fresh meat. “Keep this in your fridge for when Tony gets hungry later. Hopefully we’ll be back before he falls into another hunger trance.”

“Be safe, Ducky. I’ll take care of Tony.” Gibbs murmured softly.

“Remember, Jethro, whatever you do, don’t let Tony bite you.”

“I know, Ducky.” Gibbs rolled his eyes at the over cautiousness of his oldest friend.

Abby and Ducky left to inform the council immediately. Normally, they’d probably have had to fight Gibbs about who got to take out the threat, but Ducky and Abby had both seen how careful Gibbs was with Tony. Gibbs would have his hands full just taking care of Tony.

Gibbs wouldn’t have time to chase after the Reynosa Cartel. It seemed Gibbs recognized this as well as they did as he hadn’t protested them bringing in the shifter council. Though Ducky had his suspicions that Gibbs was still in shock and would become more insistent soon.

As Ducky expected the council was not happy about the news that the Reynosa Cartel had turned someone indiscriminately. Actually unhappy was an understatement, they were pissed. A team of shifters was immediately organized to seek out the Reynosa Cartel and anyone who may have been involved in the shifting and/or was a shifter in the Cartel and bring them back. 

The goal was to get all of the shifters from the Reynosa Cartel registered and teach them the rules of the shifter community. Then they would have a trial to determine who all was actually involved. The council would then decide what punishment would be meted out to the ones involved.

Meanwhile Gibbs watched as Tony fell asleep in his wolf form. Not long after Tony fell asleep, his body shifted back to a human form. Gibbs wondered why Tony shifted in sleep and if there was any significance to it, but without Ducky he had no way to answer his questions.

Still he couldn’t imagine sleeping on the floor was very comfortable, so he lifted Tony up and carried him to the guest room. At which point, Gibbs realized he too was starving and quickly fixed himself a sandwich to tide him over until dinner. He planned to cook steak for his dinner while Tony ate some of the fresh meat Ducky had provided.

A couple hours later Ducky and Abby returned. “A team has been dispatched to gather the Reynosa Cartel. They’ll be dealt with according to shifter laws.” Ducky reported.

Gibbs just nodded. He wanted to get revenge, but he knew from his experience of revenge against Shannon and Kelly’s killer that revenge never helped anything. Still it was annoying not to be able to see it to the end. “Will I be allowed to attend their trial or sentencing or whatever?”

“I don’t know, Jethro. I’ll check. How’s Tony doing?”

“He’s been sleeping since you left. I put him in the guest bedroom.”

“I’ll just go check on him, then.” Ducky murmured, leaving the room.

“Why didn’t you tell me, Abby?”

“It’s forbidden. Plus, you haven’t had any shifter cases come across your desk and that would have been the only time I could have legally disclosed my status to you. I wanted to tell you.”

“I understand, Abbs. Don’t worry about it.”

“Understand that at work nothing can change.”

“I know, Abbs. It will be our secret.”

“Did Ducky talk to you about what all you’d need to expect from Tony and the various stages he’d go through?”

“Yeah.” Gibbs grunted. “I’ve already called Vance and arranged for time off for both of us. Balboa’s team is going to take over MCRT duties for the next month or so while we get Tony sorted out.”

“You didn’t tell Vance that Tony was a shifter, did you?”

“No. I just told him that I was taking Tony on a vacation for a month.”

“Vance didn’t find that suspicious?”

“Oh, he did, but he knows better than to question me.” Gibbs smirked.

“You go, Bossman!”

Ducky returned via the stairs, “Tony looks normal. Nothing to worry about. I’ve left the standard instructions that are given to shifter parents on your nightstand, Jethro. Call me if you have any questions.”

“Will do, Ducky.” Gibbs wasn’t concerned. So long as Tony didn’t have anymore freak outs, he felt that they’d make it through this like the family they were. 

“I’ll drop you back by your apartment, Abigail.”

“Thanks, Ducky. I wasn’t looking forward to another run through the streets.”

Gibbs shook his head and waved to Abby and Ducky as they left. He hadn’t expected this and knew there would be more trials to come, but for now he was just glad that Tony was still alive. He’d let the council handle the Reynosa Cartel unless they showed up again.

Though now that Tony was a shifter, he felt like it would be even harder for the Reynosa Cartel to sneak up on them. He wondered if he should invite Tony to live with him. They were family.

Then he shook his head. Tony was old enough to be on his own. Even if he’d never had a father worth much, Gibbs didn’t want to take away his independence. 

“Gibbs?” Tony murmured from the top of the stairs, yawning as he was still waking up.

“Hey Tony. How are you feeling?” Gibbs would make sure that Tony stayed with him until he was in control of his shifting though. He couldn’t do anything else. Tony needed protection and someone to be there for him through this tough time.

“Better. Did I really try to eat you?”

“You did, but you were too slow.” Gibbs winked.

“That’s not a joking matter, Gibbs. I can’t believe I tried to eat you.” Tony hung his head in shame.

“Hey Tony, come here.” Gibbs ordered.

Tony shuffled slowly towards Gibbs. He’d never been able to ignore one of Gibbs’ orders, but that didn’t mean that he just gave in easily.

As soon as Tony was close enough, Gibbs pulled him into a hug. “I promise everything is going to be ok, Son.” Gibbs whispered gruffly.

“You know if my real dad had said that I wouldn’t have believed him, but I believe you, Father.”

**Author's Note:**

> Also, I'm looking for a writing buddy. Full details are [here](https://cutsycat.livejournal.com/53610.html). It is friends locked, so you'll have to add me as a friend on lj before you can read it. 
> 
> Also, Drakonyashka has translated a couple of my works into Russian. [Tutelage](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12378780) and [Imbue](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12378840). Go support them.
> 
>  **Warning! Warning! 2017 ends in about 2 months. When 2017 ends, the 2017 prompt collection will close.** You have 50 prompts you can use for 2017. Use them up before they go away. Prompts are currently open. If you'd like to prompt me, please do so [here](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/NCIS_Prompts_2017/profile). Note you have to be an ao3 member to do this. 
> 
> When 2018 starts, I will open a 2018 Prompt collection. In fact, I have already created the 2018 Prompt collection [here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/cutsycat_NCIS_Prompts_2018/profile), but sign ups are closed until 2018, so you won't be able to sign up and prompt me on this collection, yet. The 2017 prompts continue to remain over for you to prompt me with until the end of the year.
> 
> If you are not an ao3 member, you can prompt me [here](http://cutsycat.livejournal.com/50701.html). Please follow the same rules as are listed in the above link. However, because this is a handmade prompt form(that thinks it's a poll), it is considerably more limited than what ao3 provides, so please use the ao3 form if you're an ao3 member. Please note the name option is for a name that I can say this is for so that you know it's for you. Since this is for non ao3 members it won't be true gifts, but you will be mentioned in the notes.
> 
> Feel free to leave feedback here if you think something could be improved(either in the prompt process or the story itself).


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